Two Iranians face UK court over alleged Jewish plot

Two Iranian nationals appeared in a London court on Saturday charged with plotting acts of terrorism involving the use of a homemade bomb to attack the Jewish community in northern England at the behest of a figure believed to be based in Iran.

Rahman Salehi, 34, and Salam Ahmadyan, 36, were arrested on September 20 at the start of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, when they are accused of carrying out "hostile" surveillance on potential Jewish targets in Manchester, prosecutors say.

These targets included the Manchester Jewish Museum and Heaton Park synagogue, the scene of a deadly attack almost a year ago in which two Jewish worshippers were killed, prosecutor Mark Luckett told Westminster Magistrates' Court.

"Both defendants are accused of preparing acts of terrorism targeting the Jewish community in Manchester through the use of a homemade explosive device," Luckett said.

He said the men were accused of being in contact with a third party who is alleged to have directed and coordinated the attack planning and provided instructions on how to assemble a homemade device, which prosecutors allege would have been made from chlorine and brake fluid.

"It's assessed that this individual is also an Iranian national and most likely operating from within Iran," Luckett said.

The court was told both men had come to Britain from Europe in small boats. Salehi had arrived in 2020 and had been granted asylum, while Ahmadyan came in 2023 and his asylum claim was still outstanding, Luckett said.

The men did not enter a plea and were remanded in custody until their next hearing at London's Old Bailey court on October 23.